Warmth
by Xazz
Summary: Today was a practical test.  Outside.  In the snow.  Altair wished he'd just stayed in bed. -oneshot-


This chapter/story has been removed because it contains mature material.

You can find the story/full unedited chapter on my AO3 under the name Xazz.

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><p>The novelty of seeing one's breath wore off quickly for the novices and even Altair who enjoyed such things (though he'd never admit to it out loud) was now tired of how cold it was in Masyaf. He woke up every morning stiff and achy wanting nothing more than to steal a few more wool and fleece blankets and bury so deeply under them no one could find him. That wasn't allowed however since his partner didn't let him and only during the winter he was awake before Altair dragging the blankets off him and snapping at him to get dressed and ready so they weren't late for breakfast. Or worse than that, getting <em>cold<em> breakfast. Because of this Altair forced himself out of bed throwing on his grays as quickly as he could and ran out the room to warm up faster, Malik having to run after him to keep up once he finally got going.

At least during the winter there wasn't as much physical training and instead the instructors sent the novices to the library where everyone would crowd around the large fireplaces there trying to keep warm. Altair reminded himself then that he hated winter. After that though they were sent back to their rooms after dinner where there were no fire places and they had to keep warm in other ways. Altair did this by pacing between his and Malik's bed in their room, swinging his arms and trying to maintain body heat. Malik kept warm by taking possession of all the blankets, including Altair's, and huddling in his bed to read while at the same time complaining his toes were cold. That continued until finally Malik announced he was going to bed and Altair could finally steal his blankets back.

One morning he woke up to find it snowing. At least it wasn't freezing rain he reminded himself. Snow was only slightly better though. At breakfast he, Malik, Faruq and Rauf shoved warmed pita bread with all the fixings and tea down as fast as they could before it went cold as their instructor stood at the head of the long table where the rest of their age mates all sat doing the same thing as them and explained what was happening today. Several boys choked and one even looked like he was about to break down into tears.

Today was a practical test.

Outside.

In the snow.

Altair wished he'd just stayed in bed.

With more grumbling than usual when their instructors told them to do something ludicrous they trudged outside wearing a pale, ghost-like, cloak over their normal winter grays to help keep themselves warm. The added layer actually kept Altair from shivering. The instructor gave them their orders, before sending the boys on their way down behind the fortress where they were to survive outside without anything but their normal gear for one night. As they did so Altair heard several of his friends say they'd rather die than do something like this, but none of them spoke loud enough to be heard by their instructor out of fear of a beating or some other punishment.

The pairs split up as they reached the area of their test, a large, mostly open, plain bordered by cliffs and a frozen river. It was a good place to train in tracking, hiding and hunting, but that during the spring and fall or even summer when there were things like rabbits and birds to distract you and wolves to be wary of. During winter though all those things were scarce. Altair had a feeling there wouldn't be any eating that day until the test was over. Great.

"What do you think will happen?" Malik asked him as they walked looking for someplace to set up a place to sleep before seeing if they could find any usable wood for fire.

"What?" Altair had been distracted, he'd been thinking about food.

"You can't think the test is that easy right?"

"I hope so," Altair frowned. "But probably not," he agreed.

"So what do you think they'll do?"

"Try and scare us," Altair said obviously, "Or make sure we're prepared for an attack."

"We should try to hide than," Malik said.

"Where?" Altair looked around quickly in a sarcastic manner, snow flying from the top of his hood as they kicked through a small snow drift.

"I heard that when your stranded in snow you should build a cave in the snow, since its warmer than the outside air. If we did that it'd also keep us from being seen."

"That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Who told you that?" Altair sent him a look.

"I read about it in a book," Malik glared at him. "I don't hear any ideas coming from you either Mr. Al-Mualim's-Favorite," he sneered and Altair returned the glare from under his hood.

"Fine, we'll build a snow fort," Altair huffed.

Luckily though they didn't have too, since that would have taken a lot of time and wasted more energy than they could afford to burn. Instead they found a large bolder that had created a natural sort of snow cave that they just made sure was deep enough to be useful as well as had thick enough walls to keep them better insulated. Once they'd done that they split up to see if they could find any dry wood. After more than an hour Altair returned empty handed and paced just outside the snow cave trying to take in as much of the weak sun as he could to keep warm. He'd worn a path in the snow before Malik returned, also sans any wood but with several large pine cones he'd wrapped up in his cloak to carry. Dinner.

They took turns keeping watch around their little cave, one so not to be snuck up on by an instructor (which could very well happen) and two to not get snuck up on by another pair and maybe have to fight over the shelter since it wasn't big enough for four. While the other kept watch the one who wasn't busily tore apart the pine cones Malik had found using teeth, knives, rocks and anything else they could think of to part the pine nuts from their tough casings.

The day stretched long but at least the sun was out to help warm them so long as they kept moving. But then the sun began to sink towards the horizon gently kissing the lip of the world. They both knew it would be a dumb idea to keep watch at night since the no one would realistically be looking for them in this sort of weather, especially since the snow had picked up since this morning and made the visibility even worse. Malik said to wall up the entrance of the cave so their bodies could provide the proper body heat, it would also make it harder for the instructors or anyone else to find them. So they did that, leaving only a small hole at the top for air to get into as well as the remaining of the weak sun's afterglow.

Inside the little cave it was cold but Altair was surprised when it actually grew a few degrees warmer than the outside. Malik had been incredibly smug about that too when he mentioned it. They shared the tough pine nuts in silence, it being the only thing in their bellies since breakfast before deciding there wasn't much to do but sleep. They wrapped their pale cloaks about them and slept back to back to try and maintain some more bit of warmth.

Altair only knew it was morning because he had a much better internal clock than Malik. Malik of course was shaking him awake speaking urgently. Altair yawned in his face.

"What is it Malik?" he squinted at his friend as best he could in the darkness. Wait… darkness. Where was the light from the hole they'd made?

"It's a snow storm," Malik said seriously and Altair knew he was sitting just in front of him because of his voice.

Altair blinked hard, "That sucks."

"We've been snowed in."

"That really sucks."

"Thank you for clarifying," Malik snapped irritably.

"We need to dig ourselves out," Altair said sounding reasonable.

"I already dug out some," Malik pointed and Altair could make out his outline, a paler darkness thanks to his cloak than the darkness surrounding him. Altair followed the line of his point and saw another hole in the wall. It let in only weak, watery light and when Altair crouched to move around in the cramped space he saw that indeed it wasn't nice outside. The snow fell heavily and even if they did get outside they'd probably get lost in the snow storm and more than likely freeze to death. Why had he thought snow was better than rain again? He couldn't remember.

"So we aren't going anywhere," Altair said.

"Nope," and Malik rocked back so he sat with his back against one of the walls. "We can't let that close up though. So we can keep a look out and to get fresh air," Altair nodded in agreement and swept his mittened hand through the hole pushing out some of the snow before retreating back into the relative warmth of the little cave. He sat next to Malik and wrapped his cloak around him.

They didn't speak or move, trying to save their energy for keeping warm, and their proximity helped greatly actually since they were both the warmest things in the entire cave. Every now and then one of them would move and brush away the snow from the peep hole so it didn't get covered over. All the while the snow never let up.

"My toes are cold," Malik said at one point, sometimes after what Altair had to think was mid-day.

"Sorry," he at least sounded sincere. Malik always sounded pathetic when he complained about being cold. "I doubt your feet would be any warmer out of your boots," he added.

"I know that," Malik shot him a glare in the dim light. "They're cold though. I hope I don't get frost bite."

"You're over reacting. You aren't going to get frost bite."

"You don't know that," and then they argued about various terrible places one could get frost bite. There wasn't much reason for the argument other than to hear their own voices and to perhaps warm up the cave a bit more from their talking.

Night fell and the snow storm still raged. It was colder that night than before too and during the night Altair woke up when he felt an arm wrap around his waist. "What are you doing?" he demanded a bit sleepily feeling a nose pressing into his back.

"Shut up I'm cold," Malik growled, only a bit more awake, shivering as he did so. Altair rolled over so he was lying on his other side though Malik's face was lost in a darkness that was as illuminating as if Altair was trying to look through his eyelids. He could feel Malik's hot breath, blissfully so, on his face and throat and returned the gesture of wrapping his arm around Malik.

"I'm cold too," Altair complained when Malik inhaled no doubt to say something annoying.

"I hope the Master punished our instructors for this," Malik muttered, unashamedly pulling himself closer to Altair to soak in his warmth. They shifted their cloaks to better cover both their bodies as they huddled together.

"I hope we get a break after this," Altair muttered and yawned, "or at least some really hot tea."

"Mmmhmm," Malik nodded into his chest but didn't speak. Altair noticed he wasn't shivering now, and neither was Malik. That was good at any rate. Altair yawned again and pressed his face into Malik's thick black hair tiredly before falling back asleep without any trouble at all.

They woke in the morning in a tangle of limbs and cloaks. It took them several minutes to wake fully from their cold sleep and sort themselves out enough to untangle themselves from each other. They had to dig another hole in one of the walls, it was still snowing. No less hard then it had yesterday either. They weren't going anywhere. The only problem now was that they were both hungry. Going a day without food wasn't to much of an issue, but now they were on their third day on nothing but breakfast from then and some pine nuts. Their stomachs grumbled all day. They just ignored their stomachs and instead talked, it helped pass the time, and eventually, as it always did, turned into an argument. Though this was arguing for the sake of arguing and wasn't angry like sometimes their arguments could get.

"Hey Malik, go brush the snow away," Altair said as the sun was starting to fall away from its apex and the air hole was covered in more than a little snow. Malik made to stand at a stoop to go do so but he couldn't coordinate himself properly to do so and his feet slid out from under him. After the third time Altair just got up and did it. "Are you okay?" he asked when he sat back down.

"I don't think I can feel my feet," Malik said a bit of terror creeping into his voice. "What if I do have frost bite Altair?" he shot Altair a worried look.

"I'm sure you don't," Altair said plainly. "Take your boots off," he ordered after a few minutes of worried silence.

"What? Are you insane!" Altair just scowled and grabbed Malik's booted foot and tore off the lacings and buckles. "Altair what are you doing?" he snarled as he tugged one boot off and then the sock.

"See, your foot is fine," Altair said purposefully and pulled at his toes.

"Yeah well I still can't feel them," Malik shot back. Altair just rolled his eyes and yanked his mittens off before wrapping his warm hands around Malik's foot. It was like touching an icicle. He used his thumb to knead circles into the ball and heel of Malik's foot. "N-now what are you doing you idiot?"

"Your feet are cold cause they have poor circulation, I'm helping," he said not looking at Malik.

"Since when do you know anything about stuff like that?" Malik asked and his breath hitched when Altair dug his thumb into the instep of his foot.

"The Master told me when I was younger. I fell into some water during the spring thaw."

Malik stared at him, "Don't tell me the Master rubbed your feet…"

Altair laughed, "No. But he taught me this at least," he grinned cheerfully. "Wiggle your toes," he ordered after a few silent moments, Malik did experimentally and grinned in reply. Altair shoved the sock and boot back at Malik who hastily put it on while Altair fiddled with the other one, pulling off the boot and heavy wool sock. Malik gave a soft satisfied groan when Altair dug his thumbs almost painfully into the sole of Malik's foot. They didn't speak and Altair was focused on what he was doing listening to both himself and Malik breath in the cave with it's muted light that for some reason was actually getting brighter.

"Thanks," Malik said wiggling the toes of the foot in Altair's hands before pulling it back and shoving on his sock and boot to help keep it warm. As he did so Altair hastily pulled on his mittens and wrapped his cloak around himself to keep warm. Malik had had his around him the entire time but Altair had not and he was shivering slightly, not to mention his hands felt cold and brittle. "Are you cold?" he asked.

"What was your first clue?" he asked sarcastically shoving his hands under his armpits to try and get them warm faster. He eyed Malik warily as the other teen got to his knees, shuffled over to him and before he could complain sat in his lap. Oh this was bad. Really really bad.

Malik dragged his hands away from his sides and took off both their mittens so he could hold Altair's cold fingers in his warm ones. Malik was really warm and it felt nice to borrow some of his warmth. He was actually glad it was cold since it distracted his body from the fact that Malik _was sitting in his lap_ and how it would normally react from such closeness. Once Malik released his hands, now much warmer than before they hastily put on their mittens and Malik draped his cloak more around the both of them pressing against Altair's chest to keep warm. Hesitantly Altair draped his arms around Malik's waist for want of what to do with them but the other teen didn't protest so he let them stay there.

At one point they must have drifted off because the next thing Altair knew was that rose colored light was streaming in through the air hole. "Malik," he said around the thickness of his throat. Malik was slumped against him, legs wrapped around his waist. He swallowed and poked his partner, "Malik wake up. I think it stopped snowing!" Malik blinked at him tiredly.

"It stopped snowing?" he asked not all awake at the moment.

"I think, get off and I'll look," he said and Malik slid off him like he was suddenly boneless. Quickly he wrapped his cloak up around him to keep himself warm now that he lacked Malik's additional body heat. He went over to the air hole and looked through. Indeed it had stopped snowing. "It has. C'mon, we need to dig out and get back before it gets dark," he said urgently to a now much more awake Malik who was on his feet and together they used their hands and knives to destroy the snow wall. Finally they created a hole big enough to squirm through and with a bit of help from Malik Altair dragged himself through before turning around and helping him out as well.

The plains had drastically changed and Altair had never seen so much snow in his entire life. It was entirely to eerie and nothing looked at all familiar. "Which way to Masyaf?" he asked puffing, jets of fog exuding from his lips.

"Um," Malik looked at the sinking sun which winked at them from between wet wool colored clouds. "That way," he said quickly and they made their way through the snow drifts which came up to their calfs. Very quickly their boots were soaked and their feet frozen. By the time the sun was kissing the horizon they could make out the fortress of Masyaf's ghostly shape through the thick air.

"HEY!" someone far off yelled and they looked quickly. White shapes like ghosts moved in the background, walking across the top of the snow like specters towards them. It wasn't until they saw the characteristic red sash of an assassin that they knew it was their brothers and the partners let out a sigh of relief. "You two are all right?" said the man as he came up to the two being followed by three others. They wore strange shoes that looked like camel toes.

"Cold," Altair groaned miserably.

The man smirked under his hood, "I'm sure," he nodded. "Talil, take these two back to the fortress," he ordered.

"Yes sir," and the man, Talil, took command over them showing them to the more shallow snow and guiding them back to the fortress without comment. Once back home they were submitted before a doctor who proclaimed that besides a chill and a need for a hot meal they were both fine. They were then subjected to hot baths and even Altair bit back his dislike of water in order to feel warm, it was very much worth it. He'd never been so happy in his life to see the food that came next and ate like he hadn't in days. Though to be fair neither he nor Malik really had.

There were still a few pairs missing when they'd finally dug themselves out and until everyone was safe or were found dead there was no training. It was a nice break that found most of the novices crowded around the large fire places in the library relaxing. At night it was the same as it had been before, Altair pacing and Malik wrapped up in both their blankets reading and still complaining about being cold.

"Maybe if you moved around," Altair suggested shivering slightly in the cold air despite his heavy sleeping clothes and socks he was currently wearing.

"I would if I could feel my toes," Malik grumbled. Without asking Altair sat on Malik's bed and drawing the yelp from his partner dragged one of his feet towards him, setting it in his lap and proceeded to rub the warmth back into them one at a time. "Thanks," he said sheepishly.

"A partner's not much use if they don't help each other," Altair said releasing Malik's second foot. Malik's mouth became a thin line for a moment as he thought than once again Altair found himself with Malik in his lap and he drew the warm blankets around them both. Altair stiffened as he did so. There was no cold to distract him now and Malik was a very firm warm weight in his lap. Oh Allah why was he so cruel?

"You know if you wanted your blankets you could just ask for them," Malik said. Yes, talk, talking was a good distraction.

"I don't mind," he said thinking about only his words and not their closeness or the warm feeling of Malik against him. "You give them back when you go to bed anyways," he shrugged and oh shit Malik's arms were around his waist as he shifted to get into what could be a more comfortable position on Altair's lap. His breath hitched in his throat uncomfortably tight when Malik did that.

"Still," Malik said totally unaware of what he was doing to him. "Not like I wouldn't give them to you."

"It's fine, really," he tried to think about something else. _Anything else_ really, just so he could try to ignore Malik. He didn't realize his voice sounded strained.

"Are you okay Altair?" Malik looked down at him with his big dark eyes.

"Fine," he said stiffly.

"You sound funny," and Altair had to keep his composure when Malik shifted his legs around so they were sort of around Altair's waist. The motion went right to that hot spot between Altair's legs. Some of the strain must have shown on his face when he realized with horror what was going on down there. "Altair?"

"I'm fine Malik, really, it's nothing," he blathered. Why did Malik have to sit on his lap and be so warm? Really it wasn't very fair.

His dark brows fell over his eyes, it was the look he got when he _knew_ Altair was lying to him. It was really hard for Altair to lie to Malik since he could see through them like they were glass. "You can tell me," he said and wiggled across Altair's lap dragging one of the blankets around Altair's shoulders. A very incriminating sound escaped Altair's closed mouth, the sensation going strait to his crotch. He swallowed back whatever was suddenly in his throat when Malik looked at him curiously as if trying to figure something out. He was determined not to make another noise though since that one had been humiliating enough. "Altair? Tell me," he said softly.

instead he shoved Malik away and slid out of the blankets, "Nothing," he said and swallowed, "Nothing is the matter, don't be so nosy Malik, you're like a woman," he scowled at his partner.

Malik glared back, "Fine," he spat, "Take back your stupid blankets, they smell anyway," and Altair took them and immediately got into bed. Which was unlike him and they both knew it. Malik did not comment and Altair faced away from him on his bed. He did his best to not think of what had almost just happened.

-fin-


End file.
